EGYPT: NO DECISION YET ON CANDIDATURE FOR IOM

UNCLAS CAIRO 002173 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EUN PREF PREL SMIG EG SUBJECT: EGYPT: NO DECISION YET ON CANDIDATURE FOR IOM DIRECTOR GENERAL REF: SECSTATE 93916 (SBU) Discussing reftel demarche on July 12, Ihab Soliman, Director of the MFA's International Organizations Nominations Office, told poloffs that Egypt has not yet decided which candidate to support for Director General of the International Organization for Migration. Egypt was seeking clarity about which of the two American candidates (Swing and McKinley) the USG was supporting before coming to a decision. Poloffs explained that the USG strongly backs Ambassador Swing, due both to his qualifications and in support of a two-term limit for the Director General position. Poloffs advised that McKinley is running under his own auspices. Soliman intimated that the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) may support McKinley's candidacy, but that there was no OIC resolution as of yet, reiterating that an Egyptian decision has not yet been made. RICCIARDONE